Best Cleansing Balms for Dry Skin

Ranked by 19 mentions across Reddit · Updated October 2026

Top picks· 9

A solid balm that melts to oil. First step at night, then your usual wash.

Reddit’s top pick

Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original

Banila Co4 mentions

from $15

The why

Sunscreen removal leaves no filmy residue, while dry-skinned users say it doesn’t dry them out.

“It feels wonderful on my skin, doesn’t leave a filmy residue, takes off my sunscreen, and is so gentle/non-irritating (for me).”
— Reddit, r/AsianBeauty

One minus

Fragrance is noticeable and bothers dry, sensitive eyes

Good forSensitive Skin, Dry Skin, Oily Skin

Compare the top 5

	1 Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original	2 The Inkey List Oat Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm	3 Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm	4 Colleen Rothschild Radiant Cleansing Balm	5 celimax Dual Barrier Purifying Cleansing Balm
	Top pick		Budget pick Compare with #1 →
Reddit mentions	4	3	3	2	2
Price	from $15	from $17	from $13	from $65	—
Key ingredients	—	Almond Oil	—	—	—

Want something lighter? ilso Super Melting Sebum Softener

Want something richer? Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm

Community take

For dry skin, Redditors often recommend cleansing balms that remove sunscreen and makeup without leaving skin feeling tight. Banila Clean It Zero and The Inkey List Oat Balm stand out for gentle, moisturizing-feeling cleansing, though reactions and residue vary.

What works

Several users find these balms gentle and non-irritating on dry, sensitive skin.
Some say their skin feels softer and less dry after cleansing.
Users report removing water-resistant SPF and light makeup in one step.

Watch out for

One user says Banila balm clouded their vision while removing eye makeup.
One sensitive-skin user reported breakouts after using Clean It Zero.
Some users dislike the oat balm’s leftover kernel oil residue.

The full ranking

Take The Day Off™ Cleansing Balm
Clinique2 mentions
During tretinoin peeling, commenters reach for this balm, and one calls it a lifesaver.
“I used Clinique Cleansing Balm when I was peeling like mad.”
— Reddit, r/tretinoin
from $26
Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm
Farmacy1 mention
Eye-friendly balm rinses off without leaving skin feeling dry, according to one user.
“Doesn’t irritate my eyes, doesn’t dry out my skin, and doesn’t take forever to rinse off”
— Reddit, r/30PlusSkinCare
from $37
Super Melting Sebum Softener
ilso1 mention
Targeted nose care softens buildup instead of ripping it out, without disrupting the rest of a dry-skin routine.
“I switched to something like Ilso sebum softener for targeted nose care”
— Reddit, r/SkincareAddiction
from $24
Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm
Dr. Althea1 mention
After micellar water removes eye makeup, one commenter reaches for the balm and calls it fab for dry skin.
“then use a cleansing balm - Dr Althea pure grinding balm, the green one, is fab for my dry skin.”
— Reddit, r/AsianBeauty
from $19